A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 02 eBook

In the paucity of authentic information respecting
these discoveries, it seems proper to insert the following
abstract of the journal of a Portuguese pilot to the
island of St Thomas, as inserted by Ramusio, previous
to the voyage of Vasco de Gama, but of uncertain date;
although, in the opinion of the ingenious author of
the Progress of Maritime Discover, this voyage seems
to have been performed between the years 1520 and
1540. In this, state of uncertainty, it is therefore
made a section by itself, detached in some measure
from the regular series of the Portuguese discoveries.

[1] Astley, I. 15. Clarke, I. 290. Purchas,
I. Harris, I. 664.

[2] Clarke, I. 295.

[3] These may possibly be the nuts of the Ricinus
Palma Christi, from
which the castor oil is extracted.—­E.

[4] Strictly speaking the northern limits of Loango,
one of the divisions
of the extensive kingdom of
Congo, is at the Sette river, ten leagues
S.S. E. from Cape St
Catherine.—­E.

[5] There is no island of that name in this position;
so that the island
of St Matthew of de Barros
must refer to Annobon.—­E.

[6] These dates would throw back the discovery of
this island, and the
passage of the line by the
mariners of Don Henry, to the year 1438, at
a time when they had not reached
the latitude of 25 deg. N. which is quite
absurd.—­E.

SECTION II.

Voyage of a Portuguese Pilot from Lisbon to the Island
of St Thomas[1].

Before I left Venice, I was requested by letter from
Signior Hieronimo Fracastro of Verona, that, on my
arrival at Conde, I would send, him an account of
my voyage to San Thome, to which island our ships often
sail for cargoes of sugar. The passage of the
equinoctial line, under which that island, is situated,
appeared to that gentleman so extraordinary a circumstance
as to merit the attention of men of science; and you
likewise made me a similar request. I began, therefore,
immediately after my return, to draw up an account
of my voyage, from those notes which we pilots usual
keep of all occurrences, and I compared it in my progress
with the journals of some friends who had formerly
made the same voyage. When I afterwards attentively
perused my manuscript, it did not appear to me worthy
of being communicated to a gentleman of such scientific
character as Signor Hieronimo, whose talents I had
duly appreciated, by the perusal of his publications,
which I received from you before my departure from
Venice. I therefore laid my manuscript aside,
not wishing that any one might peruse it; but as you
have again urged the performance of my promise, I
now anxiously obey a request, which, as coming from
you, I must always consider a command. Apprehensive,
likewise, of appearing forgetful of your polite attentions,
I prefer the danger of exposing my ignorance, to the